Some perspective from Anthony Dion

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Patriots win should be forfeited

Just when you think that cheating in sports can’t be taken to a new level, you find out that in many cases the model franchise of the NFL — the New England Patriots — were caught spying on their opponent last weekend in an attempt to steal defensive signals. Everyone’s darling franchise, the trendy pick for hoisting the Lombardi trophy in Arizona this February, seems to be as fraudulent as Jose Canseco.

That’s what is so funny about the whole thing. So many people loooove the Patriots. All the prognosticators across the media that follow the NFL, people like Peter King of SI, Bill Simmons and Sean Salisbury of ESPN, etc. and etc. just worship the ground that Bill Belichick and the rest of that franchise walk on. So to see everyone’s beloved franchise get their reputation thrown under a bus just brightens my day.

I love it. This casts an enormous shadow on every single one of their accomplishments. Those three Super Bowls in four seasons? Perhaps the greatest example of cheaters prosperity there is. Sure Tom Brady is a great QB and a great leader but what would/is he when he doesn’t know the defense’s plays every down, hmmm? How can we truly know how much/little they benefited from their sneaky endeavors.

How long has this been going on? A matter of games or a matter of years, we are only left to wonder [until someone like Crennel or Mangini comes forward]. However, I think it’s clear that it has definitely been closer to the latter. If you want proof that the Patriots have been doing this for a matter of years not just a matter of games, look at who caught them for crying out loud. The former secondary coach of the “dynasty” team — Eric Mangini!! What further proof do you need? I mean there it is just staring us all right in the face. Mangini, Romeo Crennel, and Charlie Weis were all a part of it, no wonder why Belichick hates when his assistants leave. He sees it as a form of betrayal, that they’re going over to the “enemy”. He knows that they could potentially rat him out or steal his methods; they force him to change his own signals to a greater degree than he wants.

Bill Belichick was a terrible coach in New York and in Cleveland before he got to New England. Tom Brady was a nobody in Michigan, a back up to Drew Bledsoe for 2 years before he even saw the field. And all of a sudden they both take off to previously unforeseen heights? I think not! This is no coincidence. This is treachery! Treachery at the highest level. This may not even be the extent of their cheating…who knows? Maybe they steal gameplans and spy on the other team’s practices…maybe they even have spies in other teams’ organizations!!

The Cold War all over again…

I for one wouldn’t put it past the man who wears a cut-off sleeve sweatshirt on the sidelines…